A floor used in an agricultural building containing livestock is typically comprised of poured concrete. The upper surface of the concrete floor is typically provided with parallel, spaced grooves for animal foot traction. The animal waste is typically discharged into a pit, known as a digester, with methane given off by the waste used for generating electricity on the farm. Solid residue recovered may be used as a fertilizer or as mulch. The animal waste must be provided to the digester while the methane is still in a useable form, or typically within eight (8) hours of discharge. The concrete floor slopes to facilitate removal of the animal waste. A hand tool is typically applied to the concrete's upper surface to incorporate the aforementioned grooves therein before the concrete sets. Even with these grooves, the concrete floor must be frequently swept, washed down or otherwise cleared of debris to prevent accumulation of animal waste.
This approach is not without its problems. For example, dairy livestock, i.e., cows, are characteristically quite awkward and frequently slip and fall down, causing injury to the animal. If the injury is serious, the cow may have to be destroyed. Even a minor injury requires that additional care be taken of the injured cow by the farmer, with the injured cow's milk production typically reduced as a result of the injury. In addition, the floor's surface grooves frequently become obstructed with solid waste preventing waste removal. This condition does not promote the health of the animals, and makes the floor itself more hazardous and likely to cause injury to the animals.
The present invention overcomes the aforementioned limitations of prior art floors such as used in a barn for livestock by facilitating the removal of animal waste from the floor using a unique flushing system while providing a high strength support surface which affords stable footing and promotes the health and safety of the animals.